A union is to ballot its members on strike action after Royal Mail announced plans to close a Derbyshire sorting office.

The Heanor office is earmarked for closure, with 27 jobs being transferred three miles away to Ilkeston.

Royal Mail said it had to make savings to remain competitive and customers would get a better service at Ilkeston.

But the Communication Workers' Union said it had not been consulted and the move was an "absolute disgrace".

Lynn Wilson, from Royal Mail, said the closure of the Heanor office would cause few problems.

"Just a very small proportion of people have to go and pick things up. At the moment they can only go and pick them up until half past twelve in Heanor. When we move to Ilkeston they'll be able to go and pick them up until a quarter to seven in the evening."

'No alternative'

But union regional representative Mick Kavanagh said in other areas the quality of service had dipped when a sorting office had closed.

He said there would be a ballot for industrial action "because the way they've been treated is an absolute disgrace.

"At the end of the day we're talking about people's jobs and people's livelihoods.

"Royal Mail haven't had the decency to come forward to the union and put forward these proposals. Quite clearly we've been left with no alternative but to ballot our members for their protection."